Sweet Candy Nothings
by TwistedInABottle
Summary: 5: "I'm just your usual eighteen year old girl next door. AKA the bad ass mofo who could beat you out of your mind." Tenten, AU! Sweet crack drabbles. Pairings vary. Genres can range from fluff/crack to tragedy and angst. Go figure.
1. Naruto is Minato's son

Yeah, I've been wanting to do this for a long time; a sereis of one-shot drabbles I could post in one place for when my muse decides to go rabies on me. Read on, I hope you enjoy them and reveiw saying you do. This is my first one-shot in this sereis, but I think It's the one I like best. So, go ahead!

**Blanket disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. But Minato is mine, _rawr!_

* * *

**For:** All the Minato fans out there. Because you gotta love that blonde dead guy. You know it.  
**Pairing:** NaruSaku.  
**Word count:** 5,383 (whoah)  
**Summary:** Minato is by far the sexiest Hokage to date. The Females of Konoha –for all the striking resemblance – decide that Naruto doesn't make too bad a second.  
**Inspiration-drawn-from:** Naruto. Fangirls. Closet perverts (i.e Sakura) and Open perverts (i.e Ino and Tenten naming but a few...)  
**Notes:** Thought I'd try some NaruSaku, because no one can resist Konoha's number one loudest, most obnoxious, most clueless shinobi!

* * *

Minato is by far the sexiest Hokage to date.

Saying otherwise will earn you one of Sakura's punches, Tenten's kunai in your gut and if Ino hasnt razed you to the ground with the feiry Yamanaka gaze of death then Anko will probably strangle you with your own intestines. All will proceed to argue and rave about the _nerve_ over a peice of dango or two while everyone recovers from the wrath incurred upon them.

Minato is by far the sexiest Hokage to date.

It was an unspoken, known and undeniable fact that held a wordless sanctity with the female population of Konoha. It was never discussed as to how, never debated as to why, heck, it was just _known_. And it _could not_ be proven otherwise.

How this made Naruto the most eligeable bachelor in the village was beyond him - he'd just returned home from an Akatsuki showdown for heavens sake and he was limping and beeding all over the place - but he was not about to complain when three women threw themselves upon him within the first three seconds of his arrival. Infact, when his liver threatened to splotch onto the floor he was only slighty dissapointed for Sakura to haul him over her shoulder and drag him to the hospital.

He noted that she fed him apples with much more force than necessary.

Soon he was out of hospital and strong enough to do his own training, eat ramen at Ichiraku's, kick Sai's butt - all the usual stuff. But something was strange and out of place about his usual routine...He felt like he was being _followed_. And whenever he looked behind him there always seemed to be a trail of girls. And they would giggle and blush and shreik and gasp even when he just glanced at them. It was weird.

They even started saying 'Naruto-kun.' like Hinata-chan had when they were Gennin. Which must mean he had become a hero and they now must have noticed his superior fighting skills. They must have realised his awesomeness!

(Ino begged to differ; the only thing those women had realised was his hot peice of ass. Sure, Naruto was an idiot - but with _Minato's_ genes, Ino would do him _any time_.)

Sakura did not speak to her for a week.

"Hey dickless," Sai's vague smile lighted on his pale face one luncj at Ichiraku's "Are you going to say anything?"

Naruto scowled around a mouthful of Ramen. "About what?"

"About Sakura."

Sakura's chopsticks froze halfway to her mouth and she looked like someone had just flashed a torch in her wide green eyes as her gaze turned to the both of them.

Naruto swallowed down his mouthful and regarded the both of them questioningly. "Why would I need to say anything about Sakura?" he frowned. "She's right next to me."

"I should warn you." Sai went on in a breezy whisper that was not really a whisper because it was loud enough for all of them to hear. "You will be dissapointed, Sakura-san, the boy really is dickless."

"DONT TALK TO SAKURA-CHAN LIKE THAT!" Naruto's punch narrowly missed the former ROOT member but that was okay, Sakura-chan's punch would hit true shortly as on normal occasions if Naruto's failed.

Sakura's punch never came. Naruto paused in his glaring to regard her.

Sakura's cheeks were burning red and she avoided all their gazes, wringing her hands in..._nervousness?!_ Why wasnt she flying into a rage, why wasnt she beating Sai up?

"Sakura-chan?"

And in a strung voice that rivaled Hinata's, Sakura spoke."I-I have to go!" she almost tripped getting out of her seat. "Y-You know..the...hospital awaits! Yeah, see you!"

One pink blur later, Sakura was gone. The obnoxiously loud ninja could only stare perplexed at today's turn of events, blinking oddly at the spot Sakura had just recently occupied before turning accusingly to Sai;

"You made Sakura leave!"

"No." Sai smiled. "Not on my own, I'm afraid you have quite the effect upon the pink Kunoichi."

"Well, duh! You freak her out with all those weird comments that make me look uncool!" Naruto pocked the emotionless asshole sharply in the chest. "How is she _not_ supposed to act that way?!"

"You truly are blind." The dark haired boy said seriously. "Both of you have to pull it together."

"What the hell are you running your mouth about?"

Sai sighed wearily. "Sakura doesnt need to be at the hospital today. She just finished her shift for the week."

"So Sakura-chan's a nice person, she's doing extra duty!" Naruto said puffing his chest out proudly.

"No, you dickless idiot." Sai's palm slapped his forehead in frustration. "She's avoiding you, don't you see? Don't you notice that she's different around you?"

Naruto shrugged, Sia was slighly right. "A little bit...but thats normal. Sakura's just going through one of her phases, it's all the stress, you know. I told her to cut off the work and rest a bit but - "

"Stress?She blushes because of _stress?_" Sai's probing gaze was the sort which aimed to make you aware of how they though you were the _biggest idiot_ ever to have had the misfortune of existing.

"Or maybe..." Naruto pondered. "Maybe..."

"Maybe?"

"Maybe its that time of month?"

Naruto knew Sai was an asshole, and that he himself had said quite a few stupid things at times, but that did not give the bastard some god given right to grab his blondehead and plunge his face into a perfectly fine bowl of pork ramen. The water was _hot_, and had the freaking potential to blind his eyes but _goddamit_, the most unforgiveable thing was the guy had gone off in true Kakashi-sensei spirit and left him with the bill too!

_Jeez, what was with people and ditching him with the bills?_ He was Konoha's freaking saviour, the least they could do was treat him by paying for a change!

The cruelty of people was just to painfuul to contemplate.

"You're the only one I can truly rely on, sweet pork ramen." Naruto sniffed woefuly to his ruined bowl. "You would never betray me."

The ramen made no sound. But that was okay, Naruto was cool with that, for theirs was a language, an _understanding_ that went beyond simple words.

And probably surpassed all human reason.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sakura-chan!" A rapid blur in the air above Naruto's head indicated one of his over-eager waves from where he stood in the white hospital corridor. It smelt lightly of lemon dis-infectant and Naruto wrinkled his nose at the sterile scent, looking completely out of place with his orange and back clash of garments and flashy blonde hair jarring the somber white atmosphere.

It was ridiculous how he could just do that to places, Naruto had a presence that could not be ignored, Sakura was still deciding whether the inability to ignore him was a good thing or not.

"Hey." She held her clipboard to her chest and couldnt help but smile at his infectuous enthusiasm. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm - uh - injured, I think." The male shinobi rubbed the back of his head, squinting at the ceiling in speculation "But I'm not really sure how and why..."

Which was weird because how could someone even give that sort of diagnosis? And anyway, Naruto looked perfectly fine.

That was,until he stepped forward and Sakura noticed something immediately;

He was limping.

Concern flashed through her emerald eyes and she rushed towards him, halting anymore progress forward when she place a hand on his shoulder. "Naruto! Did Kakashi-sempai give you a thousand-years-of-pain again even after I told him not to? I _swear _- "

"Not Kakashi. It's from some weird mosquito."

Mosquito?

"Yeah! And I think its attached to my _butt_, which is weird. Everyone's been trying to get it off -"

Sakura's eyebrow twitched.

"I mean if Anko hadnt swiped it off, she said I could have _died!_ Can you beleive that Sakura-chan?! Anko saved my ass, like _literaly_, by getting it off, I mean...But she does hit real hard...So do the other's.... And even though my back aches like hell, I thought I'd get it checked out. Weird, ne?"

Weird. Sakura twitched. Oh it was weird alright.

But what was weirder was that after that, if Sakura was not at the hospittal she was with _him_. She had never been as avid in her desire to hangout with him as she was now, which irked Naruto more than it pleased him because Sakura was getting weirder and weirder and something was going on with her that she wsn't telling him about.

She did not let him out of her sight. They trained together, they ate ramen at Ichiraku's together, the kicked Sai's butt together...the usual Naruto routine with Sakura adopted into it. But Sakura wasnt laughing and smiling like her sunny usual self, she was getting about as temperamental as Tsunade baa-chan and one smile from one of his recent supporters would send her flying off the handle. She scowled at every female that got within a six metre radius of him, and actualy hissed once when Anko got too close.

Sakura had also taken to wearing her gloves which were universally known to be reserved for times where battle was done and ass-kicking was invoved, it was weird, but she was getting really agressive (even more than usual) and it scared him sometimes.

Although wary of her, Naruto also noticed another change, her outbursts were not directed at him, if she got pissed she directed her rage onto others. Which was uncharacteristic. Naruto figured that Sakura was probably showing her growing respect for him by refraining from physicaly abusing him - Gosh, he was so awesome - that was why she tended to shout at his followers (who he was beginning to notice were strangely mostly female) rather than him, but that didnt mean he didnt miss her punches, or her snarkyness or her brutal admonishing when he did something particularly stupid.

Sakura was a great med-nin, Naruto concluded, because ever since he had sought her at the hospital the mosquitoes that had been plaguing him never made a second apearance. Naruto was glad because his butt did not have to sport so many handprints and his life was no longer in danger.

But Sakura was still being weird, she always blushed at random moments and stared at him when she thought he couldnt notice. He didnt understand why she avoided his gaze, flitting her eyes away whenever he looked at her like some weird forest creature caught in the act.

"Naruto, where're you going?"

He glanced at her with a small smile. "Training area."

"But this is the lake area."

"Yeah. I wanted to work on my water-jutsu so I can surprise Kiba with bath. Seriously, I'm doing the guy a favour." he wagged a finger authoritatively. "He smells like a dog."

"..."

Naruto's shoulders slumped, where was the usual admonishing, the smack upside his head? Did Sakura have to sacrifice those little things in favour of frowning and narrowing her eyes in thought at a space above his head? Why wouldnt she look at him like she used too? What the hell was she always thinking about?

If Naruto was Sasuke then he'd probably stomp over to some forgotten corner and angst for the remainder of the day. But brooding was not Naruto's style, and he needed to train so he settled for a pout before turning away and stepping onto the lake.

Kiba was_ so_ going to get it.

Naruto walked until he was in the middle of the lake, the water was cool and trickled into his sandals. It was a good thing that there were trees round the edge of the lake that provided cool shade against the heat of the sunny spring day. Shikamaru was probably lolling about on a hill staring at the clouds. They were quite pretty today, and few against the blue expanse of azure sky.

Perfect.

Naruto tightened his headband and began.

-------------------------------------------

Ofcourse it wasnt long before the fangirls came. Pink eyebrows drew down and Sakura threw an emerald glare at the bushes and trees. Atleast her constant presence protected Naruto because no one had the guts to step forward with Sakura in sight. And if they did then they found that she could be quite violent.

She couldn't get rid of them completely without compromising herself to Naruto, but atleast now the stupid women would not drool and violate him with their eyes in plain sight. They still stalked him but within the cover of trees where Naruto's obliviousness could not notice them and they could watch him unbeknownst to him all the more.

Kami, they were annoying.

"Forehead! Psst!"

Sakura rubbed the heels of her palms against her eyes and tried to ignore the voice.

"Up here. I _know_ you can hear me Billboard Brow." The coy voice above her tsked. "I'm not fangirling, you know. Im just publicly showing my honest apreciation for Konoha's male shinobi. Atleast, both of you can see me and I'm not hiding in a bush or anything."

"That doesn't mean you can undress him with your eyes." Sakura snapped.

"Oh hush!" someone else plopped down by her, apparently apearing from above. "We arent interested in Naruto anyway." That someone was Tenten and she was wearing a very wicked grin whilst she twirled a kunai between her fingers. "We just admire his...physical qualities."

"Tenten! Arent Neiji and Lee-san enough for you?!"

"That doesnt mean I cant apreciate Mr Minato Jr. over there." Tenten murmured and leaned back against the tree they were sitting under. "And since this is the wet _wet_ lake and its such a hot _hot_ day, it wont be too long before the articles of clothing come _off._"

Ino hooted crudely in support of the last statement from the branch she was curled on.

"You guys are such perverts."

"You're a closet-pervert." The Yamanaka said absently. "I cant beleive you're not getting any action with him. You are so lame."

"I second that."

"Hey!"

"Well, it is true." Ino supplied. "And we're getting a little impatient, arent we?"

"Cant wait forever." The chocolate haired girl agreed, then turned her gaze up to Ino, engaging her. " Shall we?"

Ino smirked. "Oh _Lets._"

Sakura raised a puzzled look. What were they on about? Ino and Tenten were behaving extra sneaky today -

Which was the exact moment the Kunai flew from Tenten's hands, making a bee line for -

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted.

Naruto turned his head at Sakura's voice. Huh? Steel flashed. Naruto's eyes widened and he veered his weight back to avoid the kunai, unbalancing himself and -

SPLASH!

- and fell into the lake.

"SCORE!" Several voices whooped. Of which Tenten's and Ino's were'nt the only ones to do so, several bushes seemed to have attained the ability to shreik like school girls.

"What the hell!" The pink haired Kunoichi turned sharply to the two conspirators. "How could you?! What if that had hit him?!"

"Relax, Forehead." Ino had dropped from the tree branch and was staring expectantly at the water. "Tenten was aiming the kunai to miss. We want him wet not dead. Right?"

Tenten refrained from answering.

"TENTEN!" Sakura accused.

"What?" The weapons mistress folded her arms and joined Ino near the shore for a better veiw. "If it hit him were I was aiming then the shirt would have to come off before you could heal him. Either way skin is displayed and me and Ino get our action!"

"That was a bit ruthless." Ino looked upon the weapons mistress with something very much like awe in her eyes. "I admire that. Girls should be more like you."

"INO!"

"Oh, quit it already." The buxome Yamanaka snapped. "Don't pretend like you aren't secretly pleased you get to see it."

"That's my teamate you threw a kunai at - "

"Admit it."

"I will not!"

"Closet pervert."

"Pig."

"Forehead."

"Bimbo."

Ino gasped. "You did _not _just call me a -"

"Quit it you two." Tenten cut across them. "Apollo is resurfacing. I want to watch this without your bickering."

Green and blue eyes glared indignantly at the impassive Tenten before turning their attention to the lake.

One hand came up, then the other. A blonde head rose, muscles in his arms clenching and rivulets of water running down his face. He hauled himself out of the water, and straightened up slowly on its surface. And -OH MY GOD (GASP)- he was dripping, sopping, _wet._

Naruto was soaking wet in the midst of hormonaly crazed perverted women. And the idiot - a very sexy one albeit - walked to the shore completely oblivious to the anticipation and lust burning in his fangirls eyes.

He reached shore and stopped infront of the three kunoichi's, not understanding why his shaking the water out of his hair cause several squeels and why Sakura was staring at him with wide green eyes, mouth slighlty open looking utterly floored.

"Sakura." he breathed. His exhalations were ragged from exertion. Sharp, dripping spikes of blonde hair stuck to his cheeks, neck and ears, dragging across his intense blue eyes that stared straight through to her core. He raised his head heavily. "I think... someone...threw...a Kunai...at me."

It was enough to make her swoon.

His pants clung wetly to his thighs, slung lower over his hips from all the water. His black and orange jacket was partly unzipped, displaying the black shirt underneath that molded to the countours of his chiseled chest.  
There was a healthy red flush just beneath the paleness of his whisker-slashed cheeks.

Naruto frowned. Sakura was just standing there, gaping at him. Was something stuck in his hair? He'd kill himself if there were lilly pads or some weird lake gunk in his hair, because that was just weird and...gross. But he had checked, there were no lilly pads in his hair, there was nothing wrong with him.

And Sakura just kept on staring.

"Sakura," The idiot had to step forward and put his hands on her. Tenten was right, Naruto did have amazing biceps. Stop Sakura! Bad thoughts, this is your teamate...Yeah, you have no attraction towards Naruto whatsoever. Right, the relationship is purely platonic. DO NOT STARE! SAKURA, STOP STARING GODDAMIT! Naruto peered at her, concern in his blue eyes as he stared into hers, his grip secure on her shoulders. "Are you sure your O.K?"

Thank Kami, at least he had stopped that breathing, it had been doing things to her!

"...Huh?" Sakura's articulate reply.

And she kept staring.

Naruto sighed, genuinely upset. What was up with Sakura these days? What was she always thinking about so much that she couldnt string together an eligeable reply to her concerned teammate's question? His perfect set of shoulders slumped and he let go of Sakura. Fine. He was just going to go home. Sakura would have to sort herself out if she wouldn't even talk to him.

His hand went to his jacket zipper, and he pulled it down. Or only got halfway when Sakura suddenly stopped him, her hand gripping the one on his jacket within an urgent grip.

"Naruto, what are you doing?!"

She didnt have to sound so alarmed about it. "I'm taking my jacket off."

"N-No!"

"But its wet and its getting cold!"

"Naruto, you don't have to take your clothes off!"

Whoa. Sakura's voice sure had gotten shrill. And was she...was she blushing?! Again?!

Several bushes and forest life had suddenly gained the ability to speak and hoot like dirty old men guys in a seedy bar. "TAKE-IT-OFF!" Came the very loud cheering. "TAKE-IT-OFF!"

Sakura blush took an angrier tint. "No, Naruto!"

"TAKE-IT-OFF! TAKE-IT-OFF!"

"Shutup you two, your worse than the others!" Sakura turned an accusing look to Tenten and Ino who looked far from ashamed at their behavior. "Naruto, this is peer pressure, don't give in to it!"

"I'll pay you a whole years money value of ramen!"

"Free dango!"

"Yamanaka flowers superior service!"

"I won't throw anymore sharp pointy objects at you!"

"TAKE-IT-OFF!" The voices continued singing. "TAKE-IT-OFF!"

Naruto was getting slightly disoriented, and annoyed at Sakura's incessant behavior. "Sakura, I can't go home in wet clothes, at least let me hang them on the tree so they can dry!"

"NO! AND THAT'S FINAL!"

"But they chafe..." grumbled Naruto

A silence could not drop upon the whole training area any more abruptly than it did in that moment. Of all the stupid things to say...my pants _chafe_...?! Dammit Naruto, Sakura blinked awkwardlly, not knowing exactly what to say, he had come out looking like_ that_, captivating their complete and utter attention then had to go and say something completely anti-climatic.

On Naruto's side of things, as Sakura continued gaping, he was fed-up. She was ignoring him again and he wasn't going to take it anymore. First sharp pointy Kunais where thrown at him then Sakura would force him to freeze to death by demanding he kept his wet clothes on?! Sakura was supposed to be his teamate! What was wrong with her?

Naruto was not going to take this an longer, he would not blindly listen to her anymore when she had no intention of telling him what was bothering her! Yeah! He was his own man and he could make his own decisions. So if Naruto wanted to take any article of clothing off then he was damn well going to do it!

And he did.

The jacket was off and slung over his back before Sakura could say....well, before she could say anything, anyway.

And no girl could find words after that either.

Because Naruto was wet. In nothing but a shirt.

A_ wet_ T-shirt.

Naruto's hands moved down to the bottom of his shirt, clasping the ends of the black cloth and pulling upwards. It all seemed to happen in slow motion, several lust glazed eyes drooling and staring fixedly with bated breath, wolfish anticipation, watching as little by little tanned abdomen was being unveiled, little by little the chiseled, slick skin and the glory of Minato's genes was being showcased, little by little -

Then Sakura stopped him halfway. It was Naruto's turn to look startled when he found Sakura's palms on his chest, stopping him from removing the shirt completely. Her palms were firm against the damp black and she leaned in, an odd gleam in her eyes.

"Naruto." she purred. "You are _testing_...my _patience_."

He stared at her rose petal lips, the long length of her lashes as they fluttered at him. He knew what this was, usualy a punch followed whenever Sakura was in one of her deceptively sweet moments. But despite himself, he couldn't look away. Sakura was standing closer than usual, and beneath that composure there was a red tint to her cheeks...this...this was different.

The soft hands suddenly fisted in his shirt, Naruto was dragged bodily closer by Sakura's alarming strength and -

And she kissed him.

"Whoa." Tenten and Ino echoed eachother.

But Sakura ignored them, she was enjoying herself far too much to pay them mind. Naruto was too shocked to respond much to anything, there was a presure in his chest and on his arms as he suddenly held Sakura, but most alarming was the pressure against his lips.

Haruno Sakura...kissed him. _Him!_

And she was _still_ doing it!

He responded, hesitantly, figuring that if this was a dream - heck, it was a weird one - then he better well enjoy it while it lasted.

Which it didn't. It wasn't a dream and it was only a few moments later Sakura's lips left his, both breathing a bit heavily, but her hands remained fisted in his shirt and she did not step back.

"S-Sakura-chan...?" he said, a bit dazed.

Sakura was redder than ever. But her eyes gained an determined- almost angry glint, resembling more of the characteristic fire that was the old Inner-Sakura. "That," she growled. "Is for being the number one most oblivious ninja in the world. Ever."

"Oblivious?" he asked dumbly. "I'm...I'm not oblivious, I'm perceptive, yeah!, I'm - "

"You let Anko and several other women spank you. Repeatedly."

"No, I told you, it was a mosqu -"

"My_ ass!"_ Emerald eyes narrowed "If I wasn't _hounding_ you every way you went then you'd be gang raped by fangirls you don't even know you have!"

"I have..._fangirls...?"_

"And you go on and take your shirt off like some male stripper, huh?! There is a_ limit_ to how much I can protect you, Uzumaki Naruto!"

_Sakura-chan was protecting me?_

"And I happen to be a _girl_, Naruto! So can you atleast have some consideration before you start taking youre clothes off! I'm not totaly without hormones!"

_Sakura-chan was protecting me. And Sakura-chan kissed me..._ Naruto could draw his own conclusions from that...it wasn't hard to see that was why Sakura was acting weird now. The more realisatiuon dawned upon him, the darker a shade of red she turned. Naruto opened his mouth, totaly flabbergasted;

"Sakura-chan...you...all this time...I..."

Sakura looked away in embarrassement, she was quite pretty when she blushed. And Naruto could not stop himself and he blurted out the things he daren't had said since a few years back; "You wanna go out with me?"

Among all the jaws that unhinged, Sakura's was the one that dropped the greatest. "R-Really?"

"Yeah!" he grew bolder. "Lets have lunch together, now. Just us two."

"Umm...Well. Now?"

"Yeah - but let me hang my wet clothes on this tree first and then, we can - "

"No!" Sakura snapped. "I have a better idea. We'll go to my place."

"Sakura, I doubt you'd be as forward with Sasuke even four years ago when he was sliced cupid bread and honey to you." Naruto began. "I know we're nineteen,that it's legal, and that that few people can resist my charming - "

Naruto didn't get to finish he's ego-centric sentence when Sakura let go of him, her hands flashing threw a sereis of hand-seals and the both of them dissapeared in a puff of smoke.

Just like that, they were there and then they weren't.

Tenten, Ino and several fangirls were left staring at the space that had just recently occupied the two members of Team Seven. Blue and brown eyes met in a realising gaze.

The two kunoichi abruptly Hi-Five'd and grinned from ear to ear. "SCORE!"

Yamanka struck one hand on her hip and the other she brought up in a fist, a pose that was reminiscent of Rock Lee's youthful determination stance but still had its own edge of foxy blonde Ino to it. "Come out fangirls! We know where you're hiding!"

One of Tenten's Kunai struck warningly by one of the bushes to the eastern edges of the shore, embedding itself deeply into the earth. The leaves ruffled, branches moved and a score of dissapointed looking female trudged out, dragging their feet sulkily ans they assembled in front of the two kunoichi.

"We were all dissapointed by todays lack of action." Tenten announced not sounding dissapointed at all. "But you guys need to get a life. Naruto is taken, you guys will have to stalk someone else."

"We will never give up!" some yelled, pumping their hands up feircely and following passionate declarations of unwavering devotion.

"No, guys. Seriously. " Ino supplied. "According to the unspoken Kunoichi code, fangirls may cease their pestering and sexual abuse once the male has been outrightly claimed by a Kunoichi. Sakura has won Naruto. She has a wide forehead and she can be a total drag sometimes. But, she's my friend and she's Tenten's friend. And if Sakura doesn't kick your ass for messing with her man then we will, as kunoichi too, we must respect the kunoichi code and lay off, if you guys can't respect that code - being kunoichi yourselves - then we you will be ostarcised by all the other self-respecting kunoichi who actualy keep their hands to themselves."

"A kunoichi who does not respect another's claim has no right to be kunoichi at all." Tenten added gravely.

"You get?" Ino's blue eyes turned darker, daring them to say anything.

Tenten and Ino were only slightly sad that they couldn't watch Naruto and apreciate his more...physical qualities anymore. But, their friend had bagged a guy, _finaly._ And said guy was_ made_ for her, so they were okay.

The fangirls were cowed, grudgingly, "I-geuss"s and "Whatever"s scattered here and there from the crowd. But the kunoichi code was a code that was unspoken and could not be broken. Heck, they had left Kiba alone when Hinata snatched him. Now, they would have to leave Naruto. Not many cried much anyway, like Tenten said; "There's always single guys like Shikamaru, Neiji and Lee too stalk."

"And heck, if you're into older men and want a bit of a challenge," Ino had added. "Then why don't you try out Kakashi, Gai and all those other sempais."

So, it wasn't too bad. They could continue fangirling, just...guys who kunoichi hadn't snagged yet.

Life would go on.

* * *

Naruto emerged from Sakura's bathroom. No, she hadn't been planning to do what he had been suggesting in his last sentence at the training area, she had outrightedly told him so and thrown in a punch in case he needed a bit more convinicing.

Then she had pushed him into her bathroom, telling him to get a hot shower and mumbled something about coming back with his clothes for him before fleeing her apartment.

With a towel wrapped around his waist, he surveyed Sakura's room while he waited for her to get back. it was painted a pale blue, consisted of one bed against one wall, opposite that was a dresser that was against the other wall. Then on the right there was a window where he figured she sat and daydreamed by like any other girl. There was a cupboard and a vase of flowers at one corner, daffodils, Naruto saw. And he grinned. Sakura's room was warm in a sparse kind of way. There were a few things that were specificaly Sakura. Like that stuffed panda with buttons for eyes and a head that was too limp to stick to its neck stiffly enough. Or that red rug that was as furry as Akamaru's coat. Or the stash of manga she had poorly hidden in a clutterd heap under her bed.

Or the stuff on her dresser.

Naruto moved closer,the carpet was soft and muffled his steps s he inched towards the great oak thing.

Two pictures stood on the tabletop. And old sadness came over him, one hand gripped his towel around him and the other picked up the frame like it was the most fragile thing in the world. It was their picture of Team Seven, he had one himself and whether Sasuke had hesitated on keeping his copy was a gone case. It was fragile to him, it was precious to the two of them. Because none of them could forget Team Seven.

It hurt to remember but it was too tragic to forget.

He heard the front door open and put the picture frame down quickly but carefuly. If Sakura found him looking at it then she would remember it too and Naruto didn't want to see her down again. He picked the other picture frame up quickly so he could explain himself if she came upon him and not look like a total dolt standing infront of her dresser, pretending not to have been pretending that all was okay.

But all thoughts of somberness were blown out of his mind thanks to this new frame he held in his hand, it was perfectly understandable to look floored by it and he stared long at it, not beleiving his eyes. Why did Sakura have this? What. The. Hell?!

He heard her footsteps as she aproached the bedroom door and turned his head to gape at her incredulously through the doorway, holding up the picture, too confused to think of any logical explanation as to _why._ Just needing answers, because heck,_ he_ didnt have any;

"Sakura, why is my _dad_ on your dresser?"

* * *

AN: Tee-hee! Sakura's been caught. But atleast she bagged Naruto, I'm sure he'll get over it.

I'll get the next chapter posted, I'm almost done with it. But, until then, feel free to reveiw and tell me what you thought. If you have any ideas for the next drabbles you can offer them and I'll see what I can do and offer credit where it's due, too! (dude, that...rhymed.)

Ja ne!


	2. Uchiha tragedy

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Really, I don't. You have to beleive me!**

**AN: I have taken liberties with the present and the future in this. Let us hope, that the final conclusion is different from that I write.**

**For:** Those who are torn between NaruSaku and SasuSaku, and for those who try, desperately, to redeem Sasuke for the most recent manga incidents  
**Pairing:** I'm torn, dammit!  
**Word count:** 6,194 (I think that's my longest. In like...EVER)  
**Summary:** A Bayonet's contrition is nothing to the dead - Sasuke. Team Seven angst.  
**Inspiration-drawn-from:** The lack of hits in my last posting of this same peice as a ONESHOT, and also, this is new and improved. I love Sasuke and his past and present teammates and besides, he's such a tragic character to write about. There are so many angst-outlets for fiction when it comes to people like the Uchihas, I think thats why we love them so much. They are too damn TRAGIC. Le sigh.  
**Notes:** I'd be repeating myself if I wrote anything here. Just read it. Oh, and dobn't be afraid to request a drabble!

* * *

He decides that he will tolerate his team for the time being. Even if Suigetsu's grin does not mean to be a fanged tilt version of another's and even if Karin's hair is not lighter, eyes a more familiar shade – her 'Sasuke-kuns' will always quaver the little string of memory that he is resolved to deny.

Sasuke rarely sleeps, but when he does, he dreams. Bad dreams, good dreams, all sorts...

Bad dreams are those reminding him of Itachi's distant smile (Because Aniki smiled even while he died), sometimes of the scarlet smeared walls of a clan's haunt, corpses crawling across the floorboards and Orichimaru calling his name _Sasssskee-Kunnn… Sasssskee-Kunnn…_

Dreams where Danzou is dead – he tells himself – are good dreams.

But he will not dare think of dreams where Naruto challenges him to the stupidest of things then falls on his face, where Sakura's eyes are filled with utter devotion and Kakashi's gives them an eye-crinkly smile from behind an orange paperback. Ramen at Ichiraku's. Team Seven picnics. (Those are not good dreams, he will not call them that.)

But he does not call them bad either.

* * *

Karin is always trying to seduce him, sidle up to him with words of love at every moment. And Sasuke lets her. He bears the suffix because he knows that someone else used to do it.

He decides that in her attempts she is innocent.

Sasuke is not wooed by _anyone_. Not when he was twelve – always precisely cut apple slices, fixed lunches and green green eyes; 'You wanna walk with me, Sasuke-kun?'– Damn it, Sasuke is not wooed.

Karin thinks she can win him over and he supposes that in that way she is innocent.

But then Sasuke remembers lab experiments, bloody scalpels, much too forward sexual advances, innuendos that he can never imagine coming from a pink haired girl with a too wide forehead, too green eyes and forever the scent of cherry blossoms and decides that Karin is not so innocent in some aspects.

But in the ones that matter the most –

_I-I love you with all my heart! If you stayed here you'd never regret it, every day would be fun and we'd be happy! I'd do anything for you, I'd even help you with your revenge- I don't know what I'd do but I'd try do something! So please stay here with me! and if you can't then…take me with you._

– In the aspect that matters the most…Karin will never be innocent enough.

* * *

"Dobe."

Naruto's plea for Sasuke's case hangs in the air and the Kage's stare ahead at the sadist that has so clearly destroyed it as easily as sweeping away cobwebs. Startled blue eyes meet his impassively dark ones. When Sasuke steps forward, Kusunagi held aloft, Sharingan spinning then they all know that Naruto cannot save him this time, because Naruto cannot protect a cause that has been so immediately and publicly proved lost.

The suicide of the old Sasuke – the one that was part of Team Seven, Shinobi of Konoha, best friend to the Jinchuriki, first love to a med nin, favourite prodigy to the copy nin – is made clear when this new, darker Sasuke with the heavy grace of a killer raises a smirk and says. "Come."

Even though a lost cause, Naruto still fights. It is a long bloody battle that Sasuke bitterly realises Naruto's growth in strength. There is no girl to rush into their battle, to face the coming slaughter of a Rasengan and a Chidori, no Kakashi-sensei to stop them hurting eachother.

There is only Madara who comes between and spirits Sasuke away before any more damage is done. Even though the Dobe is breathing, bleeding everywhere but still breathing. Alive. Even though Sasuke has not killed him in the final sense he knows that he has succeeded in destroying something.

He has killed Naruto's spirit and in that sense he has destroyed Naruto.

Sasuke has won.

* * *

Sasuke knows he is a sadistic bastard now because whenever he commits a crime he wants to be there to see the results, to feel the dark glory when his destruction of others is proved. He knows that little by little he is becoming more like Madara.

So he pays Konoha a visit to see how Naruto deals with his failure, how shattered Team Seven must ultimately be by now. There is nothing else for Sasuke to do these days, so he goes to Konoha...and is surprised.

There – beneath the ancient cherry blossom trees, whose branches are bare and laden with snow – is no Naruto with empty eyes, deflated form. Yes, there is grief. Yes, there is pain. But it is pain that is muted behind the fondness and hope that exists when Sakura's hand lies in his.

Sakura does not hit him, rip herself from him, fling insults and names. She smiles happily and with an honesty that shakes Sasuke.

"Sakura-chan…" That cannot be what Sasuke thinks it is. It cant…

It is something that forces Sasuke to leave – Sharingan spinning before he listens to himself and actually destroys them both right then and there – when Sakura leans in closer to press her lips on the corner of Naruto's mouth. There is no hesitation in her movements, no falseness, no…A smiling Naruto puts an arm around her as she rests her cheek on his shoulder with a happy sigh. A cruel and twisted irony that mocks the past. Sasuke has lost to Naruto, again – Naruto has won.

And Naruto – stupid dobe – doesn't even know it.

Which is perhaps why Sasuke will never forgive him.

* * *

Karin is innocent for thinking she can win Sasuke over; innocent – but never enough.

Sasuke returns from his spying and since then the Sharingan has never left his eyes.

Karin is not innocent – she is _stupid_, she is ignorant too ever _think_ she can win _him _over. And Sasuke is the biggest fool of all to think Sakura would remain as she was, forever loyal to him. He didn't want her, had _never_ wanted her, she was nothing to him – but he had always expected her to remain stating herself his, _always _expected her to belong to him like a possession or a toy he would never care to use, never touch yet would remain his _alone_, even if he had never – and would never – have any intention of claiming her.

Karin doesn't understand why Sasuke snarls, what makes him growl, Suigetsu keeps the backtalk to a minimum and even Juugo is wary of the suddenly incensed Uchiha.

It is only a month later that Sasuke can tolerate and allow Karin to gradually start the 'Sasuke-kuns' again and Suigetsu can whine and throw his tantarums without Sasuke slashing at all of them. He could only take a month without the reminders of what he could have had if he had stayed.

Sasuke is selfish that way.

He will cut ties with his old team but will never care enough for his new team to close the distance of professionalism and necessity that he has created, a distance that separates what could have been mutual friendship and companionship. In this way, both past and present teams have come to realise….Sasuke feels either everything –

Or nothing at all.

Not only selfish, but proud. Sasuke is too proud to regret any of the wrong turns, the decisions he has made. His lifestyle is one that he chose, it is different from what it could have been in Konoha, with Team Seven. His way of life is infinitely darker and Sasuke will stick to it because he has chosen it, and Sasuke chooses to be proud.

Now that Danzou is dead, Sasuke has no other lifestyle.

But because he can never forgive Naruto – and just to scorn the boy, to make Naruto's life as tragic as his own, he will make Naruto's life a hell, the dobe will never find peace if Sasuke never returns – because Sasuke is too proud to reach the reconciliation that Naruto needs, too proud to admit that he is wrong, to admit that he regrets.

Uchiha's don't have regrets – not Itachi, not Madara, no one – Sasuke is not about to make himself an exception.

Naruto will not win (Sasuke has decided, even though it never was a damn competiton), Sasuke will destroy him.

And that is all Sasuke has left – _the determination to destroy._

* * *

"Liar."

Sakura freezes, back tenses as if a sword has struck a blow across it, a blow she was never expecting. She does not turn though, she is so still, only a Suna breeze ruffles the ends of her short pink hair. Sasuke does not mind – he has all night to wait.

"Sasuke..kun…?"

He scowls at the suffix and says nothing. He has been watching her for the past week and knows she is responsible for Juugo's capture because she had requested it of the Kazekage, he knows that she has asked him to never capture any of them except either Karin or Juugo. She has been studying the curse seal, Sakura was not looking for Sasuke, she wants his teammates, has been studying his teammates and that is not acceptable. No matter how many years have passed since he has last seen her, he cannot accept that she has become stronger, capable enough to not need someone – him – to save her, nevertheless, have mednin skills good enough to study Juugo, to shatter earth with a tap of her foot, to heal and undo irreparable damage with the brush of her fingertips, to have the sheer _guts_ to ask something to be taken from him, by the Kazekage no less. What Sakura has done, what she is…is unacceptable.

"Naruto isn't here." Other than a slight hitch to her breathing, Sakura's voice is clear. "Why are you here?"

His reply is toneless. "Don't be stupid, you took something that belongs to me."

Hers is surprisingly bitter even if he cannot see her face. "Juugo does not belong to you. He is a person and he needs help!"

"He is my teammate." And he smirks, silently pleased to see her flinch at that. "You and the sand rat have been hiding him from everyone else, studying him in secret – no one knows, not even his siblings, not even the dobe. That was very stupid, Sakura."

"Am I supposed to just tell them I have an S-rank criminal in my custody?" she answers. "What will keep them from executing him?"

"You knew I would come looking for him. I don't care how many village elders you can fool, but you can't hide anything from me." His smirk takes a darker more acerbic tint. "I could take Juugo and take your pitiful life right now and make off. No one would know it was me, the sand rat wouldn't be able to prove it without bringing to light the fact that the both of you have been hiding an S-rank criminal from the rest of the world. No one would know. You knew all the consequences I have stated where very much possible, yet you still went on ahead with your foolishness. So you tell me," he laid his hand on the hilt of his Kusunagi in the casual slow motion of a practiced killer. "What stops me from executing you?"

Her arms fold around herself and her whole frame shudders in a heave as if she was sobbing again. "I don't know." There are tears on her words and in her laugh. "Maybe…a whim of yours?"

He doesn't know how that makes him feel. He wants them to accept that he does not care anymore…yet he needs them to believe otherwise. It is sick and it is twisted, but Sasuke needs Sakura to beg him to come home, Naruto to chase blindly after him. Because if they don't then how can he know he can make other people feel something, even if it is pain? If they just accept his broken bonds completely and he is not resisting their efforts to drag him back then what…how can he make others feel? He needs others to feel so Sasuke can accept himself feeling nothing at all.

"You want to hurt Naruto – that's all you care about…so what use would killing me be if he doesn't get to know it was you?" He cannot see her tears, there are no teardrops on the dark floor. So he wonders. A crying Sakura is what he is familiar with, but these tears of hers are kept in apparently. "You want to break him,drive him to his emotional limit. I wont let that happen,he's suffered too much. Naruto deserves happiness."

"Happiness is for idiots."

"You, of course, would think so." Is she _laughing_ at him? "Im not that easily beaten, Sasuke-kun. So I wont be telling you where he is any time soon."

He thought getting the answers from her would be less troublesome than confronting the Kazekage because Sakura would tell him anything he needed to know. But he should have expected otherwise and this long conversation was starting to annoy him.

He doesn't like that.

So he repeats. "Liar."

Sakura was always easily flaired, but never by him, not even when he threw her his cutting remarks, his absolute rejections. So he is inwardly surprised when she bristles at his words. "I've never – I – go away Sasuke-kun…if you aren't here to tell me that your coming home, if that's not the reason why your speaking to me right now, then just go…"

"You lied." He has mind enough to be angry at her, because Sakura has lied to him. Sakura is a liar.

"I never lied when I told you what I did back then. But I can't hold true to a promise that I'd do anything for you when you're not the same Sasuke we thought we knew. If I gave you anything you wanted now, if I let you have your way just because I said I would…it could hurt a lot of innocent people. And I know you want to hurt Naruto – that's the only reason why you won't come back – helping you in anyway would hurt him. So I have to stop you and slow you down as best as I can – I won't let you hurt him!"

"Hn."

"You're the real liar."

He didn't deny it, but it did not mean he accepted it.

"You promised to protect us, you called us your precious people once and now all you are is a monster who won't hesitate to kill – You don't care about us anymore. You say you don't hold bonds with us anymore yet you never cut them off completely, you never gave us a good clean cut – you let me and Naruto chase after you, _Oh_, you _say_ you don't want us to but you still let us. You're a liar, Sasuke-kun."

He doesn't like it that she keeps bringing the dobe up, not at all. He doesn't like that what she says may be suspicious enough to contain some truth in it. He doesn't like this Sakura who stands strongly enough by the dobe to deny him, who doesn't stumble towards him and start sobbing for him to come home, who doesn't tremble and flush at his every word as if she were in the presence of some God.

He takes a lethal step forward that for all its soundlessness makes her tense. Then Sakura starts to turn, turn so slowly until she faces his tall lean frame. Her hands at her sides, emerald eyes downcast – not from meekness, but from self preservation (he realises) against the Sharingan – she is older, she is a woman now and no longer the twelve year old girl he knew. The baby fat of old has given rise to angled cheek bones, rose petal lips and a throat that eludes him because it has the pale crescent elegance her past self had only touched upon. Her eyelashes are still that fluttery long length, her hair is still that garish pink shade….

But she will not look at him.

Haruno Sakura – the girl who would do anything for him so he could just glance at her, who squeeled in his presence, who pledged she loved him – she does not trust him and she will not look at him.

"If you won't tell me..." He says softly, as steel is soft. "Then I'll have to use the other method, Sakura."

Her whisper is so quiet with her honesty that it might have startled him – even for a moment – it might have startled him. "Everything we've ever done, it's always been with you as our goal." She exhales softly. "As a team. And everything I continue to do, it's never been for me. It's always been for you –"

Even though she hasn't finished her sentence yet, for a moment it might have appeased him, because for a short lived few seconds he saw that the twelve year old Sakura was not completely gone. She was still there. Stronger, more able, but still the same.

"– for you and Naruto and Sai and Kakashi– "

He is there so fast she cant breathe, the balcony's wall is cold with moonshadow- she can feel it through her uniform – one arm lies across her, pins both shoulders to the wall and the other is under her chin, forcing her face level with his in a parody of another more affectionate gesture. Apart from looking away, concentrating on not looking into his eyes, there is no other struggle. A forceful grip, just short of bruising, tilts her face closer so she cannot avoid the spinning blades of the Sharingan – too close to look away so she has no option but to shut her eyes tightly.

"Damn you, Sakura." Sasuke growls and her breath catches. They are so close that there is no night air to come between their intermingling breaths. When he inhales, he cannot do so without inhaling her. She still smells of the light cherry blossoms, a soft fragrance that hangs in the dark air. She still smells like she always did. "You say I'm not the same, I'm a liar – but you still insist on the past with that damn suffix. I'm not coming back, I'm never coming back. So the sooner I know where Juugo is, the sooner I can leave."

"Orichimaru is still out there, and you still have the curse seal. If you encountered him, nothing would keep him from overwhelming you. We can't let that happen." Her words are just short of a plea. "I need Juugo to study the curse seal, to find a way that can stop that from happening. If you take Juugo then we can't stop Orichimaru. We can't loose you to him, no matter what you've done to us – we still care – and if it happens it will destroy Naruto. I need more time. Please – "

"I don't care."

She stills at his statement. And he really doesn't care, she was still innocent, but if this was going to hurt Naruto and damn Sasuke further then he couldn't care less if it happened. It was crazy, it was insane, but he couldn't care less if Orichimaru took over, not if it meant Sasuke going out of his way to actually listen to his old teamates. It was unforgivable so he repeated once more so that she had made no mistake in hearing him;

"I don't care."

"That – that can't be true."

"I'll say it again, Sakura." He lowered his lips to her ear, mocking her when his words brushed and fluttered the silk tendrils of her hair, whispered against the pale skin. "I don't care."

If it was not for the sudden throb of chakra beneath them then neither would have tensed, Sakura wouldn't have opened her eyes in alert and Sasuke wouldn't have soon after sucked her into the world of the Mangekyou Sharingan, Sasuke would not have seen his own failure.

Her eyes are green, so green. "If they find you, you'll die…"

She cloaks her chakra before he cloaks his own and that…that unnerves him. Sakura is not running away, she is not alerting others, she is not resisting him at all. "Why would it matter?" he hisses when the chakra signature has passed.

"Naruto – "

Sasuke is sick of the dobe. Her words are cut of in a gasp at the swirling tomoes of the sharingan, realising the trap she has put herself in. Everything she does is for the dobe, for Naruto, not for him. Not anymore.

This is Sasuke's revenge.

It is so easy to sift through the contents of Sakura's mind. Among the exchanges with the Kazekage he knows that they are on equal terms, they both understand the risk of their mission and among secret meetings and whispered passwords then he knows that Juugo is somewhere beneath the Suna complex and he knows the hand-seals to access the room where he is kept.. That is all he needs to know.

But Sasuke cannot resist sifting further. He wants to see more.

She is happy in Konoha, a jounin now with the rest. The rivalry with Ino has dissolved into something alien to him. And Ino has dropped the suffix and attached it to another, both girls moving on to more serious things. In this case Ino has wrestled Shikamaru into her possession and Sakura laughs. Naruto has a fond smile when he steers her into Ichiraku, palm against the small of her back and Sakura pouts at his obvious choice of nourishment. They still squabble often-times, but Naruto apologises in his own ways. And Sakura teases his longer blonde bangs with her fingers.

Clumsy, loud, impulsive Naruto…Sakura smiles, she can't help it. She can't help loving him as much as he can't help his straightforward devotion, his determination to protect. She will never hurt him again.

Then Sasuke sees that some mornings she lies across Naruto, sunlight shafting through his apartment window, one of his hands rests on the slope of her hip, fingers tracing little whirls even whilst he sleeps, and the other holds her securely against his chest. He is asleep, features relaxed, brow not so tense and she watches him with a soft smile. Here among his bed-sheets she does not desire anything but to lie in his warmth, his exhalations fanning against her cheeks, watching him sleep. Skin against skin, bones against bones, she could die like this and be content.

Sasuke pulls back and out, eyes reeling at what he has seen, thoughts exploding in his mind whilst his body remains frozen. When…When had they forgotten about him? When had he taken a back seat to their relationship? Was this why they had stopped looking for him? And Sakura –

_I-I love you with all my heart!_

Sakura was a liar.

"Sasuke-kun!" how did she get out of his hold? How was she putting her arms around his neck? "You cant stay here, you need to leave!"

This liar…she holds him, why? How dare Sakura hold him when she has destroyed everything he thought he knew of the past, made a parody, a cruel irony of it. No wonder they stopped. This was why.

Even as he feels her warmth, Sasuke is as cold as mid-winter. Even when she pleas with him, keeps him in place with her pleas – "Come back home!" There it is, the plea for him to return. "Let Naruto see you, just once!" – he will not forgive them. Sasuke knows ultimately that he has lost here.

So he hisses. "The only reason why I'll leave you alive now," he presses himself into her embrace, arms reaching up to grab those wound round his neck. "Is so you can watch him die."

"No..!" she breathes, arms tightening with that one intense word is enough to anger him.

"Yes, Sakura." His harsh whisper grazes her ear lobe and slowly he pries her off him, something has drained the strength from her arms and she will not use monstrous force to keep him because as he has killed Naruto's spirit, he has slowly mutilated her own. "You will watch him die."

He vanishes as fast as he had appeared. Only coldness lies were he was so close to her. He does not stay to watch her slump downwards, collapsing in on herself with her tears. Sasuke takes Juugo and leaves.

A few people die in the process, but the true reason as to Sasuke's attack is hidden and no one except the Kazekage and the mednin will ever know the reason for it. He is a nuke-nin, his crimes are crimes, whether there is reason behind them or none at all.

Sasuke has lost.

But today Sakura has lost with him.

* * *

Karin looks up at Sasuke with trembling lenses and Juugo crouches by her, clutching his head.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Suigetsu steps between the two, not knowing if Juugo is more likely to kill Sasuke or Sasuke is more likely to kill Juugo. All he knows, no matter how much he dislikes everyone here, conflict must not break out. He was never the type for peace making but there is a first time for everything and no matter how annoying Karin is, he figures that she is a girl and she could probably die if he let the two Sound-nins rush at eachother. "Karin, get out of the way!"

"Sasuke-kun!" her cry is torn from her throat. "Why…Why are you acting like this?!"

Suigetsu grabs hold of her arm and pulls her to her feet. "Get up and stay to the side."

Sasuke's dark gaze swerves through all of them for a long moment before he scowls and strides away into the night, leaving a deathly aura in his wake.

Juugo raises his face, eyes twitching. "Its not your fault Karin..." he rasps. "Sasuke is...different…"

"But why?!" tears leak from her eyes. "Something happened to him –"

"Change happens to all of us." Suigetsu sneers. "But whatever happened to Sasuke, he did to himself."

"But – "

"Cut it Karin. I don't know why I put up with any of you. I already have Kisame's sword." He spoke wonderingly to himself. "I could have left long ago, but I still stick around. And Karin, you keep whining after him, he'll only hurt you in the end. Juugo, youre here out of some twisted sense of loyalty to a person who willingly sacrifoced himself to a sadistic Snake Sannin. I know why you guys stick with him, but I have no idea why he sticks with us. He keeps us around and then randomly throws us his rages, what the fuck is up with that?! Why the fuck are we all here?!"

Ruby eyes flicker to where he holds her arm, but are strangely without disgust, just defeat as she glances back to the direction Sasuke took. "If I leave, he'll think I went back to join Orichimaru-sama. And then he'll kill me for sure." She whispers. "And besides…Sasuke is my soul mate, I can't leave him alone."

Suigetsu roughly frees her arm from his grip. "There you go with your schoolgirl infatuation." His words don't contain the menace he normaly puts in them.

Karin and Suigetsu watch Juugo get slowly to his feet, curse seal marks already vanishing. For some reason his outbursts are less, and he has better restraint…They don't know much about what had happened in Suna a few years back, but someone must have messed about with the curse-seal to reduce the monstrosity that is Juugo. They are more wary of Sasuke these days than they are of Juugo, which is not as funny as Suigetsu would like to think it to be…

"I think the answer is very simple, Suigetsu." Juugo gives a world weary smile. "No one here has anywhere else to go."

Sasuke will never tell them this, but he needs them to stay. So they do, he curses the relief he feels when he realises that they _will_ stay. Because though Sasuke will deny it, he needs them to - albeit desperately, coldly, _apatheticaly_...he needs them to stay.

* * *

Naruto is Hokage.

Sasuke cynical smirk is hidden in the shade of a reed hat as he passes through the crowds of Suna. Oh, no one has heard of Uchiha Sasuke in a long while, but he hangs in their minds like a foreboading shadow that will eventually fall on all of them, even though he has not acted for over five years he is forever the imminent disaster that will inevitably destroy everything, he is feared as mice fear the cat's approach. The Uchiha is much like Orichimaru was in that sense because everyone is sure that he will strike soon, faster and more dangerous than before. And no one will be able to stop him.

Konoha and Suna are the strongest of allies, the two Kages are meeting in Suna and Sasuke is there, watching everyone. He hasn't seen Naruto is a long time and the dobe stands oblivious to the Uchiha's gaze, Sasuke's disguise is infalliable.

The dobe is no longer a child, the boyish light in his face has toned down to the more refined features of an adult, a leader. There is a stronger edge to his cheek bones and a stateliness to his gait as he stands by the Kazekage's side. His smile is not blinding, it is older, smoother and more serious, but it is still genuine. No more death by orange, but formal attire fit for the son of Minato and his hair is the fiercely golden sun-streaked mane of some Sun God.

He really does look like The Fourth….

Sasuke won't kill him, not yet. When he destroys Naruto he wants to do so by crushing Konoha in the process.

* * *

"Sasuke-teme…"

"Hn."

"Stop being such an asshole," The dobe growls from above him "Youre bleeding all over the place and all you can say is 'Hn.' You could die any moment and that would be your last word."

"Shutup."

"Dammit, why do you choose to be like this?" Naruto slams his fist into the earth by Sasuke's head. "Why do you insist on making life so difficult?"

"Go to hell, I wont…I wont loose to you!"

"Don't talk shit like that! Its not a competition anymore!"

Sasuke chokes out a laugh set out to scorn, spluttering blood. If it's not a competition then there's nothing left for him, it's all Sasuke lives for. It has been his life's purpose for so long he can' let it go. There is too much dirt in his eyes from when Naruto flings him over the burning leaves of Konoha, something wet runs down his cheeks and he cant see Naruto well enough but the dobe must having another emotional outburst. _Emotion_. Even after crushing Naruto the last time, the dobe can still beat _the_ Uchiha Sasuke, and even after all Sasuke has done…Naruto still hopes with tear glazed eyes that Sasuke will come back and be his friend again…Sasuke does not cry. Uchihas do not cry. Sasuke will never forgive Naruto for always having the ability to forgive him. That is why Sasuke chokes out once more and will tell himself, even to his last moments that the only reason why his vision should be blurry is because there is dirt in his eyes.

So he chokes;

"I…wont loose…to you."

* * *

_My Triumph lasted till the Drums_

_Had left the Dead alone_

_And then I dropped my Victory_

_And chastened stole along_

_To where the finished Faces_

_Conclusion turned on me_

_And then I hated Glory_

_And wished myself were They._

_What is to be is best descried_

_When it has also been –_

_Could Prospect taste of Retrospect_

_The tyrannies of Men_

_Were Tenderer – diviner_

_The Transitive Toward._

_A Bayonets contrition_

_Is nothing to the Dead._

_'My Triumph Lasted', by Emily Dickinson _

* * *

_**THE END**_

* * *

**AN: Thankyou for sticking with this**

**Hope you enjoyed it, if you have any comments to make please do so and if you liked my story please leave a reveiw.**

**No bashing here is intended, I love all all Kishi-sama's characters, even the ones I shouldnt. I hoped the last line was a fitting endingand summarises Sasuke's future because what I have written here is what I predict possibly happening if Sasuke doesnt stop. Bless you all, I hope Im wrong in this prediction.**

**And, yes, If it doesn't snow in Konoha then I apologise for assuming so.**

**Pakapaws claws**


	3. Lost In Translation

**AN: Yeah, I don't know where this came from, but...whatever.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I do have one awesome microwave.**

**Oh, and reveiw will you?**

**For:** Those who miss Team Seven and my most recent reveiwers, the great Jaycee and Goonielove (who is also on my awesome reveiwer on 'Up The Wall' , my other fic. Go check it and her out)  
**Pairing:** There is one...maybe..if you squint? Nah, maybe not. More of a Team Seven 'we-love-Sasuke-fic-even-though-he-has-major-angst-issues'  
**Word count: **1,702  
**Summary:** Even with the sharingan you were partial to blindness - Team Seven on the issue of Sasuke.  
**Inspiration-drawn-from:** My latest awesome response from both the last drabble AND my last add to 'Up The Wall', I'm on a roll baby! Also, some old Naruto episode, back in the goo old days.  
**Notes:** I've had this for a while, just thought I'd post it here since I had been neglecting writing on the Uchihas for a while, so they now get the spot light. I particularly liked this peice. So enjoy! Oh, and People are reveiwing and I really really apreciate it. But It would be awesome if you requested something, I know I have a Team Kurenai thing coming up, but apart from that don't be afraid to speak up if you want a peice or situation involving your fav characters, just a short five word prompt will do! Halla!

* * *

It's not so simple you know.

It's a whole knotted cluster of Complicated, threads of devotion, of scorn, of weakness, of strength, of blinding blindness too stubborn to cut to the point of pain so that the only way is to twist and turn over each other till the whole thing resembles a damn tumor rather than an actual human heart.

She doesn't need him to say 'yes', she doesn't ask dates and stupid puppy love because she wants him to give in, (because since when have any of his brutal rejections, dismissals that reek of apathetic scorn, since when did any of it actually determine whether she would _stop _asking? It's never entered any of Sakura's equations involving him, any of her _stupidstupid_ equations) she asks so that you know she always will.

"Do you wanna walk with me, Sasuke-kun?"

No.

She doesn't take it too badly, because the nature of his answers have stopped mattering, all that matters is that she _asks and asks_ so that maybe it will enter his head, maybe the idea that it is not something she necessarily _wants_ from him, but that her requests are her promises, her assurance to him that she _will not change._

Because she knows he will leave. Figured Sasuke left a long time ago, left before they ever found him, before either her or Naruto or Kakshi-sensei ever met him. He wasn't there. Had never been there, really.

_You don't know me. You don't know me at all._

She doesn't expect him to love her, she stopped crushing on dreams shortly upon becoming a team. Because it was foolish to put expectations on Sasuke, history has shown this. With Fugaku, with Itachi, with Konoha…To expect things from Sasuke was to expect pain, and blood and death.

Sakura doesn't want to burden Sasuke with expectations, he's never dealt with them as well as Naruto has. Naruto gives promise's of a life time, Naruto is constant, Naruto doesn't die, doesn't give up, not ever. It's wrong. She knows that. So this time, she won't force Naruto's promises, she won't ask for them. Because it's killing him. Naruto can't do everything, Naruto is not a God.

But if she asks Sasuke on enough dates, then maybe he'll get it or maybe he won't leave thinking that everything faces an ineviteable change –

_A new path will open for all of us_

- Because change has destroyed Sasuke so many times. She can remain constant in her adoration, not because she adores him, not because she wants him to adore her, but to assure him that she wouldn't change much.

_Not like Itachi._

If she convinces him that she'll always see him as 'Sasuke-kun' then maybe he'll know that no matter what he does, no matter what shadows he will stand beneath, that to her…to her redemption is a possibility. _Never out of reach, never._

Naruto does it too, he will pout, challenge him to the stupidest fights – _Sasuke-teme!_ - wail out what he thinks to the world and jump into things with a rallying cry. Because he is Naruto, and Naruto will be brash and loud and annoying. But he will not change.

They don't know when "Ohayo Sasuke-teme." Or "sorry I'm late"s or "You wanna spar, Sasuke-kun?" became; _don't forget me._ _I'm here. I'm here. Don't leave without knowing that we won't be too far way. Because I'm here, and I'm waiting, we'll wait. You don't have to stay. I know you're leaving. Because that's just the way you are. But don't forget. Because I'll never change._

But the words are lost in translation, they are written in her surface bright smile, in the sound of her and Naruto's footsteps as they run to stay/catch-up with him, in the lonely blonde boy's tirade, the indignant pout, the coarse demands for Sasuke to stop being a loner and come have ramen with the rest of the team. But Sasuke's eyes are too glazed with dark vengeance, of howling clan haunts and bloody Uchiha fans to ever read through the haze and interpret hieroglyphics, to ever expect to understand desperate subtleties beneath the attempts of a foolish girl, the grey sadness in the lone eye of a masked copy-nin and an idiot blonde who everyday was getting stronger and stronger, strength that Sasuke's anger will not tolerate.

Sasuke does not see the words, they are written in a language he cannot interpret, let alone remember. They don't _know_ him, they don't know _him, _never found him because the Sasuke who was once literate in those aspects died many years ago and all Sasuke knows is the language of shurinkens and kunais, of jutsu's and blood debts, of sharingan and mangekyuo and living breathing murderers with kin-killing hands.

Its not that simple you know.

Naruto and Sakura know this. They don't need any idiot to tell them twice that bonds are painful, and they hurt. But they make you strong too, in ways Sasuke is too afraid, too wary to grasp anymore. Bonds aren't too bad, pain isn't so hard, everyone could live with a little bit of pain, right?

Right. Ninja took pain, they could handle it. So for now they will pretend that Sasuke will not leave,attack any teammates, challenge them on the windy roof tops of a hospital, that he won't leave any girls on benches, that he won't leave a Nara chuunin facing his first and most memorable failure, that he will not try to kill Naruto a second time, will not try to abandon all to hate and blood lust as he faces the boy who should have been his brother instead of Itachi with the heady intention of bloody murder.

No, they know its not that simple.

It hurts, it hurts like a goddamn knife-wound, and they fucking know that that's how things are and its not going to be any easy but they won't give up, Uzumaki doesn't take the easy way out, Haruno has too few dreams to waste on giving up and Hatake…he's failed too many times to admit another loss. They won't give up, Team Seven is in tatters, it's not supposed to be, but fuck it, they won't give up, because the only way to get to Sasuke is to fucking prove him wrong, to take his bitter philosophy and rip it before his eyes before they drag his ass kicking and screaming back home. Whatever Sasuke says about bonds doesn't fucking matter, because once one exists then it stays forever, no matter what, you can't kill bonds once you've acknowledged that they existed. It doesn't fucking matter how bad things get. It doesn't matter whether Teme wants to go home or not, because we all make promises, Naruto made one to her, she made one to herself in the silence of their leaving and Kakashi made one to the grave stones he visits everyday, everyday the time he is spending there stretches a little longer into the hours and promises aren't going to go away, they don't disappear once you speak them, promises matter, they matter and they hang over our heads sometimes in the form of endless blue skies, of guillotines, of eye lending long dead teammates. They don't go away. And we don't want them to.

Because some tumors are worth keeping.

* * *

THE END

* * *

AN: The past few manga chapters brought on his depressing peice, seriously Sasuke, can't you just go back to your old teamates? And Sakura, no matter how much it hurts the right thing must be done, Naruto deserves some answers. Le sigh.

Yeah, so if you wanna reveiw then please please PLEASE do, it totaly makes my day.

Ja ne.

* * *


	4. Happy Birthday

Disclaimer: Too bored to write one. Read and reveiw...Whatever.

* * *

Neiji doesn't have much to his name, in the material sense. He's never really needed Kunai's or shurinkens like Tenten and other ninjas, Hyuuga fighting style dictated it so and he's never had much of anything...

So on his birthday Hinata gives him a box and he looks at it because he doesn't know what it's _for_ and why is it so colourful, _why did you give me a box for, Hinata-sama?_

Hanabi scoffs, turns away because she doesn't care about the Branch house boy and she won't feel guilty for something that's not her fault, she tries not to feel guilty. Anyway, she's gotta train, she's gotta be the best, right?

"Happy Birthday, Neiji-nee-san." Hinata says, too shocked to even manage a stutter. "It's your birthday, right? Your thirteen, don't you know?"

"Ah." says Neiji, bows his head, but she can tell from the confusion in his eyes and the way, just a minute ago, the startled look of an almost-child, that Neiji still doesn't understand and Hinata wants to cry, because kami, she's _trying_ to close the rift, she's sorry, _I'm so sorry Neiji-nee-san_, because _I don't know _how_ to fix you, but I'm _trying_to fix you my bestest, my hardest! Why won't you let me? And I know it's not your fault for not letting me. I'm sorry, so sorry sorry sorry..._

Neiji sees the glimmer of tears, his grip on the box tightens knuckle-white because he doesn't understand, but he knows that this is his fault somehow, he's made her cry somehow and his father would have done something about it if he were alive. So he does what he does worst and tries a hand at smiling, his facial muscles are incapable of such an expression but she sees the way they soften and he doesn't bow meekly when he opens his mouth and says;

"Thankyou."

Neiji _doesn't_ understand. Later he'll find it odd that he doesn't feel insulted by the knitted cotton and leather headband he finds covered under the wrapping paper, somehow he's _forgiven _her and he doesn't mind as much as he should have that he's forgiving her - _them -_ so easily. Neiji doesn't _understand_. But Hinata made this herself and there's such a light and brightness in her eyes, that Neiji wishes he _could._

So he tries.

* * *

THE END


	5. Tenten

I've never been the type of girl to draw attention to myself, and maybe I never told anyone that and maybe it doesn't seem like it, but it's true. It's the hair, my little cute buns on the sides of my head, not the other ones - though, that always draws a few stares. I remember a little boy in kindergarten once, he'd bit his bottom lip and scrunched up his face in skepticism before very pointedly drawing out his hand and pulling on one of my pigtails. I'd been shocked, I was a quiet sort of girl and no one really talked to me for it. I played with the other kids and smiled with them and got a little rough when I needed to. Kids are tough in the sandpit, vicious, really.

I'd screeched loudly, indignantly. It figures the first time I let down those buns into pigtails that some asshole pulls this stunt with me! He was definately one of the older kids, probably in the playgroup class two times above me. But the thing was he carried around under his gangly arm this ugly...thing. It looked like a mangled doll, except skeleton stick men dolls with hollows for eyes and joint looking joints aren't exactly your average fluffy cuddlebuddies. I just remember that doll, it freaked me the hell out. The first time I would ever have felt outrage, but he just scrunched up his face and gave it an experimental pull as I glared. His grubby little fingers still wound around my hair, his eyes were brown, I think his name was...well, no, I don't, not that I remember, but I don't, not that well.

"You," He pulled, and I stomped a foot against the sand, in full rage mode. It was a new thing to feel then, anger, and I felt so irrationaly consumed by this emotion, strangely empowered - so empowered I smacked him with my plastic shovel. Quite hard. He barely even flinched, a normal guy would have pushed me and proclaimed 'cooties' in disgust. This boy barely seemed to notice. "Are you a fairy?"

My mouth propped open is shock. I'd been called mean, wierd and even alien. "...What?"

"Are you a fairy?" He drawled, and pulled once more to set out his point.

"No!"

"...Are you sure?"

"Yes!" I nodded, a little less pissed and a little more wierded out, and maybe, slightly, oddly flattered.

He gave me a look, like I was some sort of suspicious impersonator and let go. Hand resting slowly ontop of the head of the teddybear he had clutched under his arm. He pat it thoughtfuly, never once taking his eyes off me, wary and a little bit distrstful. "Your hair is shiny." He postulated. "Your eyes are bright and my sister says your lunchbox was made in..." He pulled his mouth at the unfamiliar word "Faer"

"So?" By _God_ I should have been smart enough to realise he was mangling my homelands name, it's Fire country, you _dumbass_. Intentionaly or not, our lack of knowledge at the time now makes me put little faith in early education at present. "My lunchbox is just different!"

"Sister said it was...lacking, dis..distu...distaste..ful."

"What's that mean?"

"It means...Well, the case is against you."

"What?"

"My dad's a lawyer." He went on calmly. "He says that alot, my dad."

Talks a lot of shit, I should have said, but since neither of us could even begin to grasp what 'distast' or 'case' meant at the time I was feeling ucharacteristicly humble.

He stared at me all imperious and stuff, my dad drove the bus, but he's a hero for all I care, lawyer be damned. "Well, you have paint on your face."

He nodded, hand patting the top of that perverrsion of horror doll, smoothing it down like one would a cat. "Of course."

"Like a girl!" I declared shrilly. "Like..make up."

He narrowed his brown eyes. "Like a theatre actor," he said dead serious. "Like a kabuki performer."

"Kabu-wha?"

"It's not make up you fairy!"

"Well, you're a girl, so there!"

And promptly right then and there, he picked up my bucket and emptied the whole lot of sand that I'd been collecting and hoarding for playtime, .. The bastard had the nerve to turn his nose into the air and stomp off, ugly skeleton doll's clawed feet dragging behind him from beneath his arm.

Bastard. That was the day I vowed I would find him and kill him and torture him and exact my revenge.

And I haven't tied pigtails since then, but that's only because I realised I looked sissy in them, not because of the dumb boy and his dumb sand. Just because.

So there!

* * *

My name Is Tenten, my favourite colour is red and sunflower yellow - I like running track and shooting the hoop, so I'm pretty much tough enough to kick your ass. I work two part time jobs, and walk my neighbours dog for spare cash. I need the money.I'll be going to college soon, in a few months my last year of school will be over - Ino's been busting my balls about it, and the girls are getting depressed. Meh, it's no big deal, I'll still visit some weekends it's just in the next town. Why do most girls think that highschool is the be al to end all in their life, jeez. But yeah, they're all just being sentimental, I'll see them whenever I can.

My two wonderful boys who I've known since we were tots beating eachother up over the swings in the playground are

1)Dear enduring Lee, I love you to bits. You're so brave and strong and wonderful, my life would suck without you.

2)My life still sucks with you in it Neiji, but that's only because you take yourself too seriously. Suckage would definately be worse if you weren't in my life though, so thats got to count for something my litte Hyuuga sourpuss of angst and brooding. Aw, I love you too, you're like a little irritable cat that just survived drowning - Sakura's words not mine.

I love them, my boys. I love my girls too, they're so exciteable and as much of a tomb boy as I am, I still need some female time.

A fact no one knows about me? Well, I'm not one to hold a grudge, really. And...Hmm...well, I used to do a course in ballet when I was twelve, but tell that to anyone and you will die a slow and painful death, tied to a wall where you'll have to resort to sawing off your leg to put off the godawful Justin Beiber record blaring its faggotry in the corner.I like to read in my spare time. I like crappy horror movies and soulful jazz, and fast cars. The irony! (since I cycle to school) I also cannot stand techno, am known to utter the occasional coarse swear word, and oh; aethiests make me laugh. Any dance move remotely resembling pelvic gyrating will send me into a fit of laughter - nothing against you, it's just funny as hell.

Other than that I'm just your usual eighteen year old girl next door. AKA the bad ass mofo who could beat you out of your mind.

XOXOXOXOXO

* * *

AN: Yeah, whatever. I'm over this.


End file.
